Wireless communication system, relay unit, and control device

Abstract

To provide a wireless communication system, a relay unit, and a control device capable of reducing amount of communication on a transmission route.SOLUTION: A wireless communication system A1 includes multiple kinds of sensor devices Es for transmitting measurement data by wireless communication of a first communication protocol, a plurality of relay units for transferring the measurement data by wireless communication of a second communication protocol, and a control device Ct for receiving the measurement data from the plurality of relay units. The measurement data from each sensor device Es is received by only one of the plurality of relay units. The control device Ct transmits an illumination control signal to a lighting device L according to combination of measurement data of the multiple kinds of sensor devices Es stored in a storing part and transmits an air conditioning control signal which is based on combination of the measurement data to an air conditioner Ac.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wireless communication system, a relay unit, and a control device used in the wireless communication system.

Background Art

[0002] Various wireless communication systems have been proposed to realize control of a target device using measurement data from a plurality of sensors. Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional wireless communication system. The wireless communication system disclosed in the document includes a plurality of sensors. The plurality of sensors include sensors that measure information related to people and sensors that measure information related to the environment. Measurement data from the plurality of sensors is transmitted to a control device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described wireless communication system, measurement data from a plurality of sensors is transmitted to a control device via one transmission path. Therefore, when the amount of measurement data transmitted through the transmission path increases, the communication volume in the transmission path increases. As a result, problems such as communication failures in the transmission path are a concern.

[0005] The present invention has been conceived under the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a wireless communication system, a relay unit, and a control device capable of reducing the communication volume in a transmission path.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A wireless communication system provided by a first aspect of the present invention comprises: a plurality of sensor devices that transmit measurement data by wireless communication of a first communication protocol; a plurality of relay units that receive measurement data from the plurality of sensor devices, convert the measurement data to a second communication protocol, and transfer the measurement data by wireless communication of the second communication protocol; and a control device that receives measurement data from the plurality of relay units, wherein the measurement data from each sensor device is received by only one of the plurality of relay units; the control device has a wireless communication unit, a control unit, and a storage unit, and transmits a lighting control signal to a lighting device according to the combination of measurement data from the plurality of sensor devices stored in the storage unit, and transmits an air conditioning control signal based on the combination of measurement data to an air conditioning device.

[0007] A relay unit provided by a second aspect of the present invention is a relay unit used in a wireless communication system provided by a first aspect of the present invention, configured as a lighting device, and comprising a first wireless communication unit that transmits and receives wireless signals of the first communication protocol, and a second wireless communication unit that transmits and receives wireless signals of the second communication protocol, wherein the first wireless communication unit and the second wireless communication unit alternately perform transmission and reception, the first wireless communication unit receives measurement data from the sensor when the radio wave intensity is above a threshold, and the second wireless communication unit transmits the measurement data and the lighting control signal simultaneously.

[0008] A control device provided by a third aspect of the present invention is a control device used in a wireless communication system provided by a first aspect of the present invention, wherein the wireless communication unit receives measurement data from each of the plurality of types of sensors, the storage unit stores combinations of measurement data from the plurality of types of sensors, the control unit generates a lighting control signal according to the combination of measurement data from the wireless communication unit, the wireless communication unit converts the lighting control signal into the second communication protocol, and transmits the lighting control signal to a lighting device via wireless communication of the second communication protocol.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of areas are set up, each of which is arranged with a plurality of sensors of different types, and the plurality of sensors included in each area include a human presence sensor and a temperature sensor, the human presence sensor performs sensing using radio radar and transmits the number of people in each area to the control device, the temperature sensor transmits the temperature data of each area to the control device, and the control device generates an individual air conditioning control signal for each of the plurality of areas according to the received human presence data and temperature data and transmits the air conditioning control signal to the air conditioning equipment.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control device transmits the number of people data and the temperature data to the cloud, the cloud transmits the number of people data and the temperature data to a display device, and the display device displays a number of people display item based on the received number of people data and a temperature display item based on the temperature data. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, the amount of data transmitted along the transmission path can be reduced.

[0012] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a system configuration diagram showing a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing a lighting device for a wireless communication system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing a control device for a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a block diagram showing a sensor device for a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5]It is a block diagram showing an air conditioner of a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a system configuration diagram showing an example of a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a timing chart showing the wireless transmission of a relay unit of a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a table showing an example of measurement data combination in a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a block diagram showing an example of a sensor device of a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] It is a table showing another example of measurement data combination in a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a system configuration diagram partially showing the first modification of a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a block diagram showing a relay unit of the first modification of a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] It is a system configuration diagram showing a wireless communication system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] It is a system configuration diagram showing the first modification of a wireless communication system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing a display example of a display device of the first modification of a wireless communication system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] It is a system configuration diagram showing the second modification of a wireless communication system according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] The terms "First," "Second," etc., used in this disclosure are for identification purposes only and are not intended to assign any order to the objects.

[0016] <First Embodiment> Figures 1 to 7 show a wireless communication system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The wireless communication system A1 of this embodiment comprises multiple types of sensor devices Es, multiple lighting devices L, a control device Ct, and an air conditioning device Ac. The wireless communication system A1 is a system that transmits and receives measurement data from multiple types of sensor devices Es via wireless communication and controls the lighting of the lighting devices L and the air conditioning of the air conditioning device Ac. The physical quantities detected by the sensor devices Es and the environment in which the multiple sensor devices Es are installed are not limited in any way.

[0017] [Lighting device L (relay unit)] The lighting device L is a specific example of the relay unit in the present invention. The specific example of the relay unit is not limited to the lighting device L. For example, a relay unit with a dedicated configuration in which the light source unit 11 is removed from the lighting device L described below may be used.

[0018] Multiple lighting devices L are used, for example, for indoor lighting and are installed in various locations such as ceilings, walls, and floors. Lighting devices L may also be configured for outdoor lighting. The specific form of lighting devices L is not limited in any way; various forms such as fluorescent tube replacements, high-bay lighting, ceiling lights, downlights, base lights, and spotlights can be used as appropriate. In the following description, when describing the general configuration of lighting devices L, they will be referred to as "lighting devices L," and when distinguishing multiple lighting devices L, symbols such as lighting devices L1-1, ..., L1-n, L2-1, ..., L4-n may be used as appropriate (n is a natural number). In the example shown in Figure 1, the multiple lighting devices L1-1 to L4-n may have the same configuration, share some parts, or have different configurations. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the case where multiple lighting devices L1-1 to L4-n have the same configuration will be used as an example.

[0019] Figure 2 is a block diagram of the lighting device L. The lighting device L comprises a light source unit 11, a control unit 12, a storage unit 13, a wireless communication module 14, and a power supply unit 15.

[0020] The light source unit 11 is the part of the lighting device L that performs the light-emitting function. The specific configuration of the light source unit 11 is not limited in any way, and for example, it consists of a substrate and a plurality of LEDs mounted in a row on the substrate. The lighting device L also has a transparent or translucent cover (not shown) that allows light from the light source unit 11 to pass through.

[0021] The control unit 12 controls various parts of the lighting device L based on instructions from, for example, the control device Ct. The specific configuration of the control unit 12 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 13 stores information necessary for controlling the control unit 12 and may consist of a semiconductor memory, for example. The storage unit 13 is not limited to being built into the housing of the lighting device L (not shown), but may be detachably provided on the outside of the housing of the lighting device L.

[0022] The wireless communication module 14 is for wireless communication with the control device Ct, a plurality of lighting devices L, and a plurality of sensor devices Es, and is a module that transmits and receives wireless signals. The wireless communication module 14 is connected to the control unit 12 by, for example, UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) communication, but is not limited to this. The wireless communication module 14 has a first wireless communication unit 141 and a second wireless communication unit 142.

[0023] To illustrate the functions of the wireless communication module 14, it receives signals from the sensor device Es and other lighting devices L, and transmits the data contained in the received signals to the control unit 12. It also transmits an acknowledgment signal to the control device Ct indicating that a lighting control signal has been received. Furthermore, it may transmit a status information signal indicating the operating status of the lighting devices L to the control device Ct.

[0024] In this embodiment, the unique luminaire ID of each of the multiple lighting devices L is stored in the wireless communication module 14. The format of the luminaire ID information is not particularly limited, and for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address may be used. The luminaire ID may be stored in either the first wireless communication unit 141 or the second wireless communication unit 142, or in other components of the wireless communication module 14, or for example, in the storage unit 13.

[0025] The first wireless communication unit 141 is for wireless communication with the sensor device Es using a first communication protocol. The communication frequency for wireless communication using the first communication protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Furthermore, the specific example of the first communication protocol is not particularly limited, and examples include Bluetooth® (registered trademark), including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, etc. In this example, the case in which BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) is adopted as the first communication protocol will be described. In the illustrated example, the first wireless communication unit 141 is connected to the second wireless communication unit 142 by SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, but is not limited to this.

[0026] The second wireless communication unit 142 is for wireless communication with the control device Ct and other lighting devices L using a second communication protocol. The communication frequency for wireless communication using the second communication protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920 MHz band, 2.4 GHz band, 5 GHz band, etc. Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on specific examples of the second communication protocol, and examples include Bluetooth® including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, etc. In this example, the case in which a specific protocol in the 2.4 GHz band is adopted as the second communication protocol will be described. In this embodiment, a plurality of lighting devices L having the second wireless communication unit 142 and the control device Ct construct a wireless communication network Cn which is a mesh network. Since the second communication protocol is used for transferring various data between the plurality of lighting devices L as described later, a protocol is selected that can construct a mesh network while ensuring the transfer speed and reliability necessary for such data transfer.

[0027] It is preferable to select communication frequencies that differ between the second and first communication protocols so that their communications do not interfere with each other. Furthermore, it is preferable to have different communication timings for the wireless communication performed by the second wireless communication unit 142 and the wireless communication performed by the first wireless communication unit 141. Figure 7 is a timing chart showing an example of wireless communication by the wireless communication module 14. In the wireless communication shown in the figure, wireless communication Cp1 using the first communication protocol and wireless communication Cp2 using the second communication protocol are performed alternately on the time axis. This means that in the wireless communication module 14, the first wireless communication unit 141 and the second wireless communication unit 142 perform wireless communication processing alternately. The time interval for periodically switching between wireless communication Cp1 using the first communication protocol and wireless communication Cp2 using the second communication protocol is, for example, 0.1S to 100S. As an example, the first wireless communication unit 141 is turned on for 0.5S and receives measurement data Md from the sensor device Es using wireless communication Cp1 with the first communication protocol. The second wireless communication unit 142 is turned on for 60S and transmits and receives measurement data Md along with lighting control signals Ls from adjacent lighting devices L in the wireless communication network Cn using wireless communication Cp2 with the second communication protocol.

[0028] When the wireless communication module 14 receives a request signal from the control device Ct requesting data acquisition from the sensor device Es, for example, via the second wireless communication unit 142, it constructs transfer data by converting the request signal from the second communication protocol to the first communication protocol, and transmits this transfer data from the first wireless communication unit 141 to the sensor device Es. Also, when the first wireless communication unit 141 receives measurement data transmitted from the sensor device Es, it constructs transfer data by converting the measurement data to the second communication protocol, and transmits it to the control device Ct.

[0029] To give a specific example, the wireless communication module 14 detects from the protocol flag in the communication data that the measurement data from the sensor device Es is being transmitted using the first communication protocol. Next, it performs predetermined processing according to the procedure corresponding to the first communication protocol and receives the data with the first wireless communication unit 141. Then, it constructs transfer data by converting the measurement data into a data format for communication using the second communication protocol and transfers it to the adjacent lighting device L via the wireless communication network Cn. Note that the construction of the transfer data includes the process of generating new transfer data. Furthermore, the construction of the transfer data includes the process of selecting transfer data that matches certain conditions from a plurality of pre-prepared transfer data. In the following explanation, unless otherwise specified, the construction of the transfer data will be used to include these processes.

[0030] The power supply unit 15 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the light source unit 11, the control unit 12, and the wireless communication module 14, etc. The power supply unit 15 has functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, and a voltage transformation function.

[0031] [Sensor device Es] Sensor devices Es measure physical quantities of various objects and function as, for example, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, motion sensors, illuminance sensors, carbon dioxide concentration sensors, and magnetic sensors. There are no limitations on the installation locations of multiple sensor devices Es; they can be attached to or built into various locations such as ceilings, walls, floors, and doors, as well as various devices installed indoors and outdoors. In the following description, the general configuration of a sensor device Es will be referred to as "sensor device Es," and when distinguishing between multiple sensor devices Es, symbols such as sensor device Es1, ..., sensor device Esn may be used as appropriate. Figure 1 shows multiple sensor devices Es1 to ESn, which include multiple types of sensor devices Es that measure different physical quantities. For sensor devices Es that measure the same physical quantity, their configurations may be identical, they may share some parts, or they may have different configurations and forms. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the case where multiple sensor devices Es1 to ESn have the same configuration for performing wireless communication will be used as an example.

[0032] Figure 4 is a block diagram of the sensor device Es. The sensor device Es comprises a sensor unit 41, a control unit 42, a storage unit 43, a wireless communication unit 44, and a power supply unit 45.

[0033] The sensor unit 41 of the sensor device Es performs the function of measuring the target physical quantity. Examples of the sensor unit 41 include a temperature sensor, humidity sensor, motion sensor, illuminance sensor, and magnetic sensor. The measurement principle of the sensor unit 41 is not limited in any way.

[0034] The control unit 42 is for controlling each part of the sensor device Es. The specific configuration of the control unit 42 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The memory unit 43 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 42 and may consist of a semiconductor memory, for example.

[0035] The wireless communication unit 44 is for performing wireless communication with the corresponding lighting device L using the first communication protocol described above. In this example, the wireless communication unit 44 performs wireless communication using BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

[0036] In this embodiment, the sensor device Es has a unique device ID. The specific example of the device ID is not limited in any way, and for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address may be used. The device ID may be stored in the wireless communication unit 44, or for example, in the storage unit 43.

[0037] The power supply unit 45 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the sensor unit 41, the control unit 42, the wireless communication unit 44, etc. The power supply unit 45 may be, for example, an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, or a device with a voltage transformation function, or a rechargeable battery or dry cell battery.

[0038] If the setting command received from the corresponding lighting device L, described below, includes the device ID of the device itself, the wireless communication unit 44 transmits the setting command to the control unit 42. The control unit 42 sets measurement conditions, such as the transmission cycle, according to the setting command. The control unit 42 also transmits a measurement request to the sensor unit 41. The sensor unit 41 outputs the measured value obtained as a result of the measurement to the control unit 42. The control unit 42 constructs measurement data including the device ID, measured value, measurement time (timestamp), etc., and transmits it from the wireless communication unit 44, for example, according to the transmission cycle. Note that the construction of measurement data includes the process of generating new measurement data by the control unit 42 executing a program. Furthermore, the construction of measurement data also includes the process of the control unit 42 selecting measurement data that matches certain conditions from among a plurality of pre-prepared measurement data stored in the storage unit 43. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the construction of measurement data will be used to include these processes.

[0039] The measurement cycle in which the sensor unit 41 of the sensor device Es performs measurements is set, for example, based on the measurement cycle setting transmitted from the control device Ct. Alternatively, the measurement cycle may be set during the initial setup of the sensor device Es, and the sensor unit 41 may perform measurements at this initially set measurement cycle.

[0040] [Control device Ct] The control device Ct controls the lighting of multiple lighting devices L, the measurement and control of multiple types of sensor devices Es, and the air conditioning of the air conditioning equipment Ac. The control device Ct may be installed in the building where the multiple lighting devices L are installed, or it may be installed in a different building. If the control device Ct and the multiple lighting devices L are located some distance apart, the control device Ct and the multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln may communicate with each other using not only wireless communication, but also wired communication and wireless communication. The wireless communication system A1 only needs to include at least one control device Ct. The control device Ct in this embodiment is capable of communicating with both the control device Ct and the multiple lighting devices L.

[0041] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control device Ct. In this embodiment, the control device Ct includes a display unit 21, a control unit 22, a storage unit 23, a wireless communication module 24, and a power supply unit 25.

[0042] The display unit 21 is not strictly necessary for the operation of the wireless communication system A1, which will be described later, but it is used for initial setup and maintenance of the control device Ct. The display unit 21 is, for example, a liquid crystal display and may also have a touch panel function. Alternatively, instead of the display unit 21 functioning as a touch panel, the control device Ct may be equipped with a separate operating device such as a keyboard or mouse.

[0043] The control unit 22 is a key component that controls the lighting of multiple lighting devices L1 to Ln and the measurement of multiple sensor devices Es, and controls each part of the control unit Ct. For example, the control unit 22 transmits control signals to the wireless communication module 24 so that it transmits lighting control signals Ls to the target lighting device L. The specific configuration of the control unit 22 is not particularly limited and may consist of a CPU, for example. The storage unit 23 stores information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for controlling the control unit 22, and may consist of a semiconductor memory or a hard disk drive, for example.

[0044] Furthermore, the control device Ct may determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the measurement data from the sensor device Es.

[0045] The wireless communication module 24 is used for wireless communication with the second wireless communication unit 142 of the wireless communication modules 14 of multiple lighting devices L using a first communication protocol, as well as for wireless communication with air conditioning equipment Ac using a third communication protocol, or for communicating with external servers such as the cloud via a commercial network such as LTE (Long Term Evolution). The wireless communication module 24 of this embodiment has a third wireless communication module 241 and a fourth wireless communication module 242.

[0046] The third wireless communication module 241 is for wireless communication with multiple lighting devices L using the second communication protocol described above. In this embodiment, the control device Ct having the third wireless communication module 241 and the multiple lighting devices L form a wireless communication network Cn, which is a mesh network.

[0047] The fourth wireless communication module 242 is for wireless communication with multiple types of sensor devices Es using a third communication protocol. The communication frequency for wireless communication using the third communication protocol is not limited in any way, and examples include the 920MHz band, 2.4GHz band, 5GHz band, etc. Furthermore, the specific examples of the third communication protocol are not particularly limited, and examples include commercial networks such as Bluetooth® (including BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy)), Zigbee®, Wi-Fi®, and LTE (Long Term Evolution). In the illustrated example, the fourth wireless communication module 242 is connected to the third wireless communication module 241 by SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, but is not limited to this.

[0048] The power supply unit 25 is for supplying the power necessary for the operation of the display unit 21, the control unit 22, and the wireless communication module 24, etc. The power supply unit 25 has functions such as an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, and a voltage transformation function.

[0049] The control device Ct holds the luminaire IDs of multiple lighting devices L and the device IDs of multiple types of sensor devices Es, which are stored, for example, in the memory unit 43. The luminaire IDs and device IDs held by the control device Ct may be the MAC addresses of the luminaire IDs held by the lighting devices L and the MAC addresses of the device IDs held by the sensor devices Es, or they may be other luminaire IDs and device IDs associated with these MAC addresses.

[0050] A clock unit (not shown) may be separately placed within the wireless communication system A1. This clock unit receives FM radio waves and transmits time information to the control device Ct via the wireless communication network Cn. This time information is added to the data transmitted from the control device Ct to each lighting device L and each sensor device Es. Each lighting device L and each sensor device Es counts the time based on the received clock information. This allows the time of the devices and equipment constituting the wireless communication system A1 to be synchronized more accurately.

[0051] [Air conditioner AC] Air conditioning equipment Ac is a device for adjusting the temperature and humidity of the air, as well as the airflow and cleanliness of the environment in which it is installed. The environment in which air conditioning equipment Ac is installed is not limited in any way, and it is generally installed in various buildings such as offices, shops, and warehouses. The specific configuration of air conditioning equipment Ac is not limited in any way, and in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, air conditioning equipment Ac has an air conditioning unit 31, a control unit 32, a storage unit 33, a wireless communication unit 34, and a power supply unit 35.

[0052] The air conditioning unit 31 is a functional part for air conditioning the air in the environment in which the air conditioning equipment Ac is installed. The specific configuration of the air conditioning unit 31 is not limited in any way. For example, in the case of equipment commonly referred to as an air conditioner, examples include a blower mechanism, heat exchanger and filter parts built into the indoor unit, and a compressor and heat exchanger built into the outdoor unit.

[0053] The control unit 32 appropriately controls the air conditioning unit 31, the wireless communication unit 34, and the power supply unit 35. The control unit 32 is composed of, for example, a CPU. The control unit 32 may be composed of multiple CPUs located in various parts of the air conditioning equipment Ac.

[0054] The memory unit 33 is for storing information such as programs and setting conditions necessary for the operation of the air conditioning equipment Ac, and consists of, for example, a semiconductor memory.

[0055] The wireless communication unit 34 is for performing wireless communication with the control device Ct using the third communication protocol described above.

[0056] In this embodiment, the air conditioning equipment Ac may have a unique equipment ID. The specific example of the equipment ID is not limited in any way, and for example, a MAC (Media Access Control) address may be used. The equipment ID may be stored in the wireless communication unit 34, or for example, in the storage unit 33.

[0057] The power supply unit 35 is for supplying the power necessary for operation to the air conditioning unit 31, the control unit 32, the wireless communication unit 34, etc. The power supply unit 45 is, for example, an AC / DC converter that converts commercial AC 100V or 200V power to DC power, or has a voltage transformation function, or is a rechargeable battery, etc.

[0058] Next, we will explain the operation of the wireless communication system A1.

[0059] For the sake of explanation, we will describe a case where the wireless communication system A1 comprises multiple types of sensor devices Es1 to Es1 and multiple lighting devices L1-1 to L4-n as multiple relay units, as shown in Figure 1. In addition to the configuration shown in the figure, the system may also be equipped with multiple types of sensor devices Es and multiple lighting devices L. In the typical system configuration of the wireless communication system of the present invention, approximately 2,000 multiple lighting devices L and approximately 20 to 30 multiple types of sensor devices Es are installed, and the number of multiple lighting devices L is greater than the number of multiple types of sensor devices Es.

[0060] First, the settings for the lighting device L that transmits measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es will be explained. In the present invention, the measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es1 to Es4 is received by only one of the multiple lighting devices L1-1 to L4-n. For example, in the example shown in Figure 6, depending on the distance between them, etc., the multiple types of sensor devices Es from which lighting device L1-1 can receive measurement data Md include sensor devices Es1, Es2, and Es3. Sensor devices Es1, Es2, and Es3 transmit measurement data Md, including their respective measurement results, or test data such as beacon signals, from the wireless communication unit 44 using wireless communication Cp1 with a first communication protocol. Lighting device L1-1 receives the measurement data Md or test data from sensor devices Es1, Es2, and Es3 at the first wireless communication unit 141 of the wireless communication module 14.

[0061] Next, the lighting device L1-1 measures the radio wave strength for each of the sensor devices Es1, Es2, and Es3. The configuration for measuring radio wave strength is not limited in any way; for example, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) calculated by the wireless communication module 14 (first wireless communication unit 141) for the received radio waves can be used. RSSI is an index that relatively represents the radio wave strength, output by the wireless communication module 14 (first wireless communication unit 141) based on the voltage and output of the received radio waves. For example, the RSSI is a value proportional to the logarithm of the input voltage (dB microV) received by the wireless communication module 14 (first wireless communication unit 141), and its numerical range is, for example, -80 to +60. The larger this value, the higher the input voltage and the more stably it can be received, and the higher this value, the stronger the radio wave strength is judged to be.

[0062] In the illustrated example, the radio wave intensity of sensor device Es1 is the strongest. This is because, for example, among sensor devices Es1, Es2, and Es3, sensor device Es1 is installed in the position closest to lighting device L1-1. The control unit 12 of lighting device L1-1 stores the device ID included in the measurement data Md or test data with the strongest radio wave intensity in the storage unit 13. As a result, lighting device L1-1 is filtered to receive only the measurement data Md that contains the device ID of sensor device Es1 from the measurement data Md transmitted by wireless communication Cp1 using the first communication protocol, and does not process the reception of other measurement data Md. Consequently, in the subsequent operation of wireless communication system A1, lighting device L receives only the measurement data Md from sensor device Es1. Similarly, the lighting devices L2-1, L3-1, and L4-1 shown in Figure 1 are also filtered based on radio wave intensity in the same way. As a result, lighting device L2-1 receives only the measurement data Md from sensor device Es2, lighting device L3-1 receives only the measurement data Md from sensor device Es3, and lighting device L4-1 receives only the measurement data Md from sensor device Es4.

[0063] Note that lighting devices L1-2~L1-n, L2-2~L2-n, L3-2~L3-n, and L4-2~L4-n do not perform the process of receiving measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es1~Es4 via wireless communication Cp1 using the first communication protocol. For example, the system implementer of wireless communication system A1 may limit the lighting devices L to which the above-mentioned filtering settings using radio wave strength are applied based on conditions such as the installation location of multiple types of Es1~Es4. Alternatively, lighting devices L1-2~L1-n, L2-2~L2-n, L3-2~L3-n, and L4-2~L4-n may also be filtered using radio wave strength, and the radio wave strengths of multiple lighting devices L with the highest radio wave strength from the same sensor device Es may be compared with each other, and the settings may be configured so that only the lighting device L with the highest radio wave strength from the sensor device Es receives the measurement data Md from that sensor device Es.

[0064] Furthermore, unlike the example shown in Figure 6, the sensor device Es that the lighting device L receives may be configured by performing a selection input process during initial setup or other processing. For example, the system implementer of the wireless communication system A1 may configure filtering settings so that, based on the installation locations of multiple lighting devices L and multiple types of sensor devices Es, the lighting device L initially targeted will receive only the measurement data Md from the sensor device Es installed at the closest location.

[0065] Furthermore, depending on the installation conditions of multiple lighting devices L and multiple types of sensor devices Es, for example, lighting device L1-1 may be configured to receive both measurement data Md from sensor device Es1 and sensor device Es2. Such a configuration is necessary, for example, when the number of lighting devices L is relatively small, and limiting the number of sensor devices Es that a particular lighting device L receives to only one would result in the loss of measurement data Md from one of the sensor devices Es. However, even in such an example, the measurement data Md from each sensor device Es is received by only one lighting device L.

[0066] When measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es1 to Es4 is received by lighting devices L1-1, L2-1, L3-1, and L4-1, the measurement data Md is forwarded from lighting devices L1-1, L2-1, L3-1, and L4-1 to other lighting devices L that constitute the wireless communication network Cn. In the example shown in Figure 1, the measurement data Md received by lighting device L1-1 is converted to the second communication protocol by the wireless communication module 14 of L1-1. Then, the measurement data Md is forwarded sequentially to lighting devices L1-2, L1-3, ..., L1-n via wireless communication Cp2 using the second communication protocol. Similarly, the measurement data Md received by lighting device L2-1 is converted to the second communication protocol and then forwarded sequentially to lighting devices L2-2, L2-3, ..., L2-n via wireless communication Cp2 using the second communication protocol. Similarly, the measurement data Md received by lighting device L3-1 is converted to the second communication protocol and then transmitted sequentially to lighting devices L3-2, L3-3, ..., L3-n via wireless communication Cp2 using the second communication protocol. Similarly, the measurement data Md received by lighting device L4-1 is converted to the second communication protocol and then transmitted sequentially to lighting devices L4-2, L4-3, ..., L4-n via wireless communication Cp2 using the second communication protocol. These transmitted measurement data Md are then received by the control device Ct via their respective transmission paths.

[0067] In the example shown in Figure 1, measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es1 to Es4 are each transmitted through a single transmission path. In the illustrated example, the lighting devices L constituting each transmission path are configured independently of each other, but the configuration is not limited to this, and multiple transmission paths may share one or more lighting devices L in common.

[0068] Next, the control device Ct performs lighting control processing and air conditioning control processing according to the combination of measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es1 to Es4.

[0069] <Example of combination data> Figure 8 shows combination data used in an example of lighting control processing by the control device Ct according to the combination of measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es1 to Es4. This combination data is stored, for example, in the memory unit 23 of the control device Ct. In this example, we will describe the case where, among the multiple types of sensor devices Es1 to Es4, sensor device Es1 is a human motion sensor and sensor device Es2 is a door sensor using a magnetic sensor.

[0070] Sensor device Es1, which is a human presence sensor, is, for example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor that detects the presence or absence of a person in the detection area by utilizing the temperature difference between a person and the floor, wall, etc. Sensor device Es2, which is a door sensor, is, for example, a magnetic sensor installed on a door that is an entrance or exit for a person to enter the detection area. Sensor device Es2 detects whether the door is open or closed by measuring the strength of the magnetic field. In the combination data shown in Figure 8, if the measurement data Md of sensor device Es2, which is a door sensor, is open at a certain time, the measurement data Md of sensor device Es2 will remain open until a predetermined timer time has elapsed from that time. This timer time is set to be sufficient time for, for example, a person who opens the door and enters the detection area to be detected by sensor device Es1, which is a human presence sensor.

[0071] When the control unit 22 of the control device Ct receives measurement data Md from sensor devices Es1 and Es2, it constructs an illumination control signal Ls based on the combination data shown in Figure 8. Here, the construction of the illumination control signal Ls includes the process of generating a new illumination control signal Ls. The construction of the illumination control signal Ls also includes the process of selecting an illumination control signal Ls that meets certain conditions from a plurality of pre-prepared illumination control signal Ls. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the construction of the illumination control signal Ls will be used to include these processes.

[0072] If the measurement data Md from sensor device Es1 is data indicating a person was detected, and the measurement data Md from sensor device Es2 is data indicating an open state, this corresponds to case No. 1 of the combination data in Figure 8. In this case, it is presumed that a person who opened the door at a certain time, causing sensor device Es2 to detect that the door was in an open state, was detected by sensor device Es1 within the detection area. Therefore, the control unit 22 constructs a lighting control signal Ls to turn on the lighting device L installed in the detection area.

[0073] On the other hand, if the combination of measurement data Md from sensor device Es1 and measurement data Md from sensor device Es2 is not case No. 1, the control unit 22 constructs a lighting control signal Ls that turns off the lighting device L installed in the detection area.

[0074] The control unit 22 sends the constructed lighting control signal Ls to the wireless communication module 24. The third wireless communication module 241 of the wireless communication module 24 transmits the lighting control signal Ls to multiple lighting devices L in the wireless communication network Cn via wireless communication Cp2 using the second communication protocol. A lighting device L that receives the lighting control signal Ls forwards the lighting control signal Ls to a neighboring lighting device L. If the received lighting control signal Ls contains the device ID of the device itself, the control unit 12 performs lighting control according to the lighting control signal Ls. The third wireless communication module 241 may also transmit measurement data Md from multiple types of sensor devices Es and the lighting control signal Ls simultaneously when forwarding the lighting control signal Ls.

[0075] In Case 1, by setting the lighting control signal Ls to ON, if a person who has opened the door is present in the detection area, the lighting device L can be turned on so that the person can perform tasks appropriately. In Case 2, by setting the lighting control signal Ls to OFF, even if the door is open, if there is no person in the detection area, it is possible to avoid unnecessarily turning on the lighting device L. In Case 3, by setting the lighting control signal Ls to OFF, even if the motion sensor device Es1 transmits measurement data Md indicating that a person has been detected, if the door remains closed for a certain period of time (timer time), it is difficult to assume that a person has entered the detection area, so it is possible to keep the lighting device L off. For example, if the sensor device Es1 is a pyroelectric infrared motion sensor, it is possible that person detection may not be performed correctly if the floor or walls are heated by sunlight, etc. Even if there is such a false detection by the motion sensor, the lighting device L can be avoided by combining it with the door sensor. In Case 4, since the presence of a person cannot be assumed from the detection results of either the motion sensor or the door sensor, the lighting control signal Ls is set to OFF. Thus, when multiple types of sensor devices Es include motion sensors and door sensors, lighting control signals Ls can be set based on the combined data of these sensors Md and other data, thereby enabling more appropriate control of the lighting device L.

[0076] Furthermore, the combination data in Figure 8 may be used not only to set the lighting control signal Ls, but also, for example, to set the air conditioning control signal As of the air conditioning equipment Ac. For example, in case No. 1, the air conditioning control signal As is set to provide air conditioning that makes the person in the detection area more comfortable. On the other hand, in cases No. 2 to 4, the air conditioning control signal As is set to provide virtually no air conditioning (for example, to turn off the air conditioning equipment Ac). This air conditioning control signal As is transmitted from the fourth wireless communication module 242 of the wireless communication module 24 of the control device Ct to the air conditioning equipment Ac by wireless communication Cp3 using the third communication protocol. When the storage unit 33 of the air conditioning equipment Ac receives the air conditioning equipment Ac, the control unit 32 controls the air conditioning operation of the air conditioning unit 31 in accordance with the air conditioning control commands contained in the air conditioning equipment Ac. For example, if the air conditioning equipment Ac is an air conditioner, and the air conditioning control signal As is ON, the control unit 32 of the air conditioning equipment Ac sets either or both the temperature and humidity so that the person in the detection area can be more comfortable, and controls the air conditioning unit 31. On the other hand, if the air conditioning control signal As is off, the control unit 32 of the air conditioning equipment Ac stops the operation of, for example, the air conditioning unit 31.

[0077] Figure 9 shows another example of a human presence sensor used as the sensor device Es. The sensor device Es shown in the figure has a sensor unit 41 which includes a judgment circuit 411, a transmitting antenna 412, and a receiving antenna 413, and is configured as an FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) radio radar or a Doppler radio radar.

[0078] If the sensor device Es is an FMCW-type radio radar, the sensor unit 41 transmits an FMCW-modulated transmission wave containing multiple intermittently transmitted chirp signals as a continuous wave from the transmitting antenna 412. The detection area may be limited using frequency components within a specific frequency range. The transmission wave transmitted from the transmitting antenna 412 propagates into the detection area. The receiving antenna 413 receives reflected waves reflected by people or objects in the detection area. The judgment circuit 411 is a circuit that determines the presence or absence of people in the detection area. The judgment circuit 411 includes a detection circuit, a conversion circuit, a difference calculation circuit, a threshold generation circuit, a comparison circuit, and memory. For example, the judgment circuit 411 determines the presence of a person if the magnitude of the difference in the transmission wave from the comparison circuit is greater than a threshold.

[0079] Next, we will explain the operation of wireless communication system A1.

[0080] According to this embodiment, measurement data Md transmitted from any of the multiple types of sensor devices Es is received by only one of the multiple lighting devices L, which are multiple relay units. Unlike this embodiment, if measurement data Md from one sensor device Es is received by multiple lighting devices L, this measurement data Md will be transferred through multiple transmission paths within the wireless communication network Cn. The more multiple types of sensor devices Es there are, the more the amount of data transferred in the wireless communication network Cn increases exponentially, raising concerns about a decrease in communication quality and the occurrence of communication errors. In this embodiment, even if the number of multiple types of sensor devices Es increases, the amount of data transferred in the wireless communication network Cn is roughly proportional to the number of multiple types of sensor devices Es. Therefore, a decrease in communication quality and the occurrence of communication errors in the wireless communication network Cn can be suppressed.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, one lighting device L receives only measurement data Md from one of the multiple types of sensor devices Es. Therefore, in the transmission path within the wireless communication network Cn that includes a certain lighting device L (for example, lighting device L1-1), only measurement data Md from sensor device Es1 is exclusively transmitted as measurement data Md. This makes it possible to more reliably reduce the amount of data transferred in the wireless communication network Cn.

[0082] Figures 10 to 16 show modified examples and other embodiments of the present invention. In these figures, elements identical or similar to those in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the configurations of each part in each modified example and each embodiment can be appropriately combined with each other to the extent that no technical inconsistencies arise.

[0083] <Other examples of combined data> Figure 10 shows another example of combination data in the control device Ct. In this example, a condensation sensor is used as sensor device Es1 and a door sensor is used as sensor device Es2. Sensor device Es1 is installed, for example, inside a warehouse, and sensor device Es2 is installed, for example, on the door of the warehouse. In addition, a circulator is used as the air conditioning equipment Ac. When sensor device Es1 is a condensation sensor, the sensor unit 41 of sensor device Es1 detects the presence or absence of water droplets by utilizing the fact that these electrodes become conductive when, for example, water droplets adhere between them. In Figure 10, for example, if the detected value, which is a numerical representation of the current due to conductivity, is below a threshold, it is determined that condensation has not occurred, and if it is above the threshold, it is determined that condensation has occurred.

[0084] When the measurement data Md from sensor device Es1 is above a threshold and the measurement data Md from sensor device Es2 is data indicating a closed state, this corresponds to case No. 4 of the combination data in Figure 8. In this case, condensation has occurred in the detection area, and the door installed at the entrance to the detection area is closed. Therefore, there is little prospect that the condensation occurring during measurement will be resolved by natural wind, etc., and it is expected that the condensation will increase further. In this case, the control unit 22 constructs an air conditioning control signal As that turns on a circulator, which is an example of an air conditioning device Ac installed in the detection area.

[0085] On the other hand, if the combination of measurement data Md from sensor device Es1 and measurement data Md from sensor device Es2 is not case No. 4, the control unit 22 constructs an air conditioning control signal As that stops (turns off) the air conditioning equipment Ac (circulator) installed in the detection area.

[0086] The control unit 22 sends the constructed lighting control signal Ls to the wireless communication module 24. The wireless communication module 24 converts the air conditioning equipment Ac to the third communication protocol and transmits the air conditioning control signal As to the air conditioning equipment Ac from the fourth wireless communication module 242 via wireless communication Cp3 using the third communication protocol.

[0087] In Case 4, setting the air conditioning control signal As to ON allows the circulator to generate airflow in the detection area. This prevents further increases in condensation and helps to eliminate it. In Case 1, setting the air conditioning control signal As to OFF prevents the circulator from being operated unnecessarily when there is no condensation and the door is open. In Case 2, even if condensation is present, the open door allows for increased airflow within the detection area due to natural breezes, which can alleviate the condensation. In Case 3, setting the air conditioning control signal As to OFF avoids operating the circulator when the door is closed and condensation has not yet occurred. Thus, when multiple types of sensor devices Es include a condensation sensor and a door sensor, setting the air conditioning control signal As based on the combined data of these measurement data Md allows for more appropriate air conditioning control using the air conditioning control signal As.

[0088] <First Embodiment, First Modification> Figures 11 and 12 show a first modified example of the wireless communication system A1. In this modified example of the wireless communication system A11, the relay unit Ru is included, and the configuration of the air conditioning equipment Ac differs from the embodiment described above, while the other configurations are the same as or similar to those of the wireless communication system A1.

[0089] The wireless communication system A11 of this modified example comprises a plurality of air conditioning devices Ac. The plurality of air conditioning devices Ac include air conditioning devices Ac1, Ac2, and Ac3. Air conditioning devices Ac1, Ac2, and Ac3 are, for example, circulators. Air conditioning devices Ac1, Ac2, and Ac3 are connected to an AC power supply via a relay unit Ru.

[0090] The relay unit Ru controls the power supply to the air conditioning equipment Ac1, Ac2, and Ac3 by receiving the air conditioning control signal As from the control device Ct. As shown in Figure 12, the relay unit Ru includes a relay switch 51, a control unit 52, a wireless communication unit 54, and a power supply unit 55.

[0091] The relay switch 51 is electrically interposed between the AC power supply and the air conditioning equipment Ac1, Ac2, and Ac3. The relay switch 51 is configured to allow switching between a state where the AC power supply and the air conditioning equipment Ac1, Ac2, and Ac3 are electrically connected and a state where they are isolated.

[0092] The control unit 52 controls the opening and closing of the relay switch 51 based on the air conditioning control signal As from the wireless communication unit 54, and is, for example, composed of a CPU. The wireless communication unit 54 can send and receive data via wireless communication Cp2 using a second communication protocol. In the wireless communication system A1, the wireless communication unit 54 receives the air conditioning equipment Ac transmitted from the control device Ct. When the air conditioning control signal As includes the unit ID of the relay unit Ru, the control unit 52 controls the opening and closing of the relay switch 51 according to the air conditioning control signal As. The power supply unit 55 is the part that supplies the power necessary for the operation of the control unit 52 and the wireless communication unit 54.

[0093] As shown in Figure 11, in the wireless communication system A11, the air conditioning control signal As from the control device Ct may also include the air conditioning control signal As transmitted to the air conditioning equipment Ac, such as an air conditioner, via wireless communication Cp3 using the third communication protocol.

[0094] According to this modified example, by controlling a single relay unit Ru, the air conditioning control of multiple air conditioning devices Ac1, Ac2, and Ac3 installed in the detection area can be performed collectively. Unlike the example described above, the air conditioning control signal As from the control device Ct to the relay unit Ru may be transmitted via wireless communication Cp3 using the third communication protocol. In this case, the wireless communication unit 54 of the relay unit Ru is configured to send and receive data via wireless communication Cp3 using the third communication protocol.

[0095] <Second Embodiment> Figure 13 shows a wireless communication system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. In the wireless communication system A2 of this embodiment, multiple lighting devices L, multiple types of sensor devices Es, and multiple air conditioning devices Ac are arranged in multiple detection areas.

[0096] In this embodiment, detection areas are set for each room or floor of a building, or for each of multiple buildings. In the illustrated example, four detection areas Ar1 to Ar4 are set. Detection area Ar1 is equipped with a lighting device L1, sensor devices Es1-1 and Es1-2, and air conditioning equipment Ac1. Detection area Ar2 is equipped with a lighting device L2, sensor devices Es2-1 and Es2-2, and air conditioning equipment Ac2. Detection area Ar3 is equipped with a lighting device L3, sensor devices Es3-1 and Es3-2, and air conditioning equipment Ac3. Detection area Ar4 is equipped with a lighting device L4, sensor devices Es4-1 and Es4-2, and air conditioning equipment Ac4. Sensor devices Es1-1 and Es1-2 are different types of sensors. Sensor devices Es2-1 and Es2-2 are different types of sensors. Sensor devices Es3-1 and Es3-2 are different types of sensors. Sensor devices Es4-1 and Es4-2 are different types of sensors. In the following explanation, we will use the example where sensor devices Es1-1, Es2-1, ES3-1, and Es4-1 are motion sensors, and sensor devices Es1-2, Es2-2, ES3-2, and Es4-2 are temperature sensors.

[0097] Sensor devices Es1-1, Es2-1, ES3-1, and Es4-1 detect the presence or absence of people in each detection area Ar1 to Ar4. Sensor devices Es1-2, Es2-2, ES3-2, and Es4-2 measure the room temperature in each detection area Ar1 to Ar4. The measurement data Md from sensor devices Es1-1, Es2-1, ES3-1, and Es4-1, and the measurement data Md from sensor devices Es1-2, Es2-2, ES3-2, and Es4-2 are transmitted to the control device Ct via lighting devices L1 to L4.

[0098] The control device Ct constructs and transmits lighting control signals Ls for each of the multiple lighting devices L1 to L4 and air conditioning control signals As for each of the multiple air conditioning devices Ac1 to Ac4, according to the combination of measurement data Md from sensor devices Es1-1, Es2-1, ES3-1, and Es4-1 and measurement data Md from sensor devices Es1-2, Es2-2, ES3-2, and Es4-2 for each of the detection areas Ar1 to Ar4. The multiple lighting devices L1 to L4 perform lighting control according to the received lighting control signals Ls, and the multiple air conditioning devices Ac1 to Ac4 perform air conditioning control according to the received air conditioning control signals As.

[0099] According to this embodiment, air conditioning control can be individually performed for each of the multiple detection areas Ar1 to Ar4 according to the presence or absence of people and the room temperature. For example, even if the room temperature measured by sensor devices Es1-2 and Es3-1 is the same at 28°C in detection area Ar1 and detection area Ar3, if there is a difference in the number of people detected by sensor devices Es1-1 and Es3-1, lighting control and air conditioning control more appropriate to these situations can be performed. That is, when detection area Ar1 is crowded with many people and detection area Ar3 is not crowded with few people, the air conditioning control signal As can be constructed so that the airflow of air conditioning device Ac1 located in detection area Ar1 is stronger than that of air conditioning device Ac3 located in detection area Ar3. Therefore, air conditioning control can be performed according to the degree of crowding in each of the multiple detection areas Ar1 to Ar4. Furthermore, even if the number of people in each of the multiple detection areas Ar1 to Ar4 is about the same, if the room temperature at the time of measurement is different, air conditioning control can be performed according to each of the multiple detection areas Ar1 to Ar4.

[0100] <Second Embodiment, First Modification> Figures 14 and 15 show a first modified example of the wireless communication system A2. This modified wireless communication system A21 includes a cloud CL and a display device Dp.

[0101] A cloud CL is built using, for example, a commercial cloud service. The specific configuration of a cloud CL is not limited in any way and may include, for example, a control unit, a storage unit, and a communication unit. A cloud CL can communicate bidirectionally with a control device Ct via, for example, a public network (the internet).

[0102] The display device Dp is, for example, a display device with communication capabilities. The display device Dp can receive display data from the cloud CL via, for example, a public network (the internet). The display device Dp displays images, characters, etc., on its display unit according to the received display data.

[0103] Figure 15 shows an example of the display image of the display device Dp. The display device Dp shown in the figure displays four shapes (rectangles) corresponding to the four detection areas Ar1 to Ar4. Each shape displays information corresponding to the measurement data Md for each of the four detection areas Ar1 to Ar4. For example, detection area Ar1 displays a room temperature of 28°C based on the measurement data Md of sensor device Es1-2, and indicates that it is crowded (a state with many people) based on the measurement data Md of sensor device Es1-1. Similarly, room temperature and crowding status are individually displayed for detection areas Ar2 to Ar4.

[0104] For example, detection areas Ar1 to Ar4 correspond to rooms within a building, and the display device Dp is installed near the building entrance or a common door leading to detection areas Ar1 to Ar4. Detection areas Ar1 to Ar4 are used, for example, as a free-address office space. In this case, employees (users) using detection areas Ar1 to Ar4 can choose a detection area Ar that is closest to their desired environment based on the information displayed on the display device Dp at the entrance. For example, by selecting a detection area Ar with a lower room temperature and less crowding, they can work in a calmer environment. On the other hand, by selecting a more crowded detection area Ar, they can consult with more colleagues about work-related concerns.

[0105] <Second Embodiment, First Modification> Figure 16 shows a second modified example of the wireless communication system A2. This modified example, the wireless communication system A22, includes a mobile terminal Mc. The wireless communication system A22 may further include the display device Dp described above.

[0106] A specific program is installed on the mobile terminal Mc. The mobile terminal Mc has, for example, a display unit, a control unit, a communication unit, and an input unit. The input unit may be integrated with the display unit, such as when the display unit is a touch panel.

[0107] The user launches a specific program installed on their mobile device (Mc). The display shows, for example, a floor map indicating detection areas (Ar). Each graphic representing a detection area (Ar) displays superimposed information such as temperature and the number of people in that area (Ar).

[0108] For example, when a user presses the information acquisition button (an icon displayed on the display unit) on the input screen, the control unit controls the communication unit and sends a command requesting location information (request command) and the user ID to the cloud CL via the commercial network (Internet).

[0109] The cloud CL receives request commands in its communications unit. The control unit analyzes temperature information, number of people information, etc., based on the commands. The communications unit transmits these analysis results to the mobile terminal Mc via the commercial network (Internet).

[0110] The mobile terminal Mc receives the analysis results via its communication unit and displays the number of people, temperature information, and the operating status of the air conditioning equipment Ac and the lighting status of the lighting device L installed in the detection area Ar on its display unit.

[0111] According to this modified version, when detection area Ar is the office, employees (users) can use their own mobile devices as mobile terminals Mc. This allows each employee (user) to grasp in real time the number of employees, temperature environment, and operating status of air conditioning in multiple detection areas Ar (detection areas Ar1 to Ar4).

[0112] The wireless communication system, relay unit, and control device according to the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above. The specific configuration of each part of the wireless communication system, relay unit, and control device according to the present invention can be modified in various ways. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] A1, A11, A2, A21, A22: Wireless communication system 11: Light source section 12: Control Unit 13: Storage section 14: Wireless communication module 15: Power supply section 21:Display section 22: Control Unit 23: Storage section 24: Wireless communication module 25: Power supply section 31: Air Conditioning Department 32: Control Unit 33: Storage section 34: Wireless Communication Department 35: Power supply section 41: Sensor section 42: Control Unit 43: Storage section 44: Wireless Communication Department 45: Power supply section 51: Relay switch 52: Control Unit 54: Wireless Communication Department 55: Power supply section 141: First Radio Communication Unit 142: 2nd Radio Communication Section 241: Third Wireless Communication Module 242: Fourth Wireless Communication Module 411: Judgment circuit 412: Transmitting antenna 413: Receiving antenna Ac,Ac1,Ac2,Ac3,Ac4: Air conditioning equipment Ar, Ar1, Ar2, Ar3, Ar4: Detection area As: Air conditioning control signal CL: Cloud Cn: Wireless communication network Cp1, Cp2, Cp3: Wireless communication Ct: Control device Dp:Display device Es, Es1, Es1-1, Es1-2, Es2, Es2-1, Es2-2, Es3, Es3-1, Es3-2, Es4, Es4-1, Es4-2, Esn: Sensor device L,L1,L1-1,L1-2,L2,L2-1,L2-2,L3,L3-1,L3-2,L4,L4-1,L4-2:Lighting device Ls: Lighting control signal Mc: Mobile devices Md: Measurement data Ru: Relay Unit

Claims

1. Multiple types of sensor devices that transmit measurement data via wireless communication of the first communication protocol, Multiple relay units that receive measurement data from the aforementioned multiple types of sensor devices, convert the measurement data into a second communication protocol, and transfer the measurement data via wireless communication of the second communication protocol, The system includes a control device that receives measurement data from the plurality of relay units, The measurement data from each of the aforementioned sensor devices is received by only one of the relay units of the plurality of relay units. The control device is It has a wireless communication unit, a control unit, and a storage unit. In accordance with the combination of measurement data from the multiple types of sensor devices stored in the memory unit, a lighting control signal is transmitted to the lighting device. A wireless communication system that transmits an air conditioning control signal based on the combination of the aforementioned measurement data to an air conditioning device.

2. A relay unit used in the wireless communication system described in claim 1, It is configured as a lighting device and includes a first wireless communication unit that transmits and receives wireless signals of the first communication protocol, and a second wireless communication unit that transmits and receives wireless signals of the second communication protocol, The first wireless communication unit performs transmission and reception, and the second wireless communication unit performs transmission and reception alternately. The first wireless communication unit receives measurement data from the sensor whose radio wave intensity is above a threshold, The second wireless communication unit is a relay unit that simultaneously transmits the measurement data and the lighting control signal.

3. A control device used in the wireless communication system described in claim 1, The wireless communication unit receives measurement data from each of the multiple types of sensors, The storage unit stores combinations of measurement data from the multiple types of sensors. The control unit generates the illumination control signal according to the combination of measurement data from the wireless communication unit. The wireless communication unit is a control device that converts the lighting control signal into the second communication protocol and transmits the lighting control signal to the lighting device via wireless communication of the second communication protocol.

4. Multiple areas are set up, each with multiple sensors of different types, The multiple types of sensors included in each of the aforementioned areas include motion sensors and temperature sensors. The aforementioned human presence sensor performs detection using radio radar and transmits the data on the number of people in each area to the control device. The temperature sensor transmits the temperature data of each area to the control device. The wireless communication system according to claim 1, wherein the control device generates individual air conditioning control signals for each of the plurality of areas according to the received person data and temperature data, and transmits the air conditioning control signals to the air conditioning equipment.

5. The control device transmits the number of people data and the temperature data to the cloud. The cloud transmits the number of people data and the temperature data to the display device. The wireless communication system according to claim 4, wherein the display device displays a number of people display item based on the received number of people data and a temperature display item based on the temperature data.

Images